The Spring

Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, a French Neoclassical painter and one of my favorite artists EVER was born on this day in 1780. Because of that we feature one of his absolute classics—and the homage to the Renaissance art.

This canvas was started about 1820 but not finished until 1856. The standing nude figure is inserted in the vertical format as if in an alcove. Associated with the model's pose, this construction gives The Spring the immobility of a marble statue. The comparison is not surprising considering the importance of antique statuary for the Neoclassical movement of which Ingres was the leader.

The art critics of the time wondered about the painter's desire to create a figure of ideal beauty and its share of realism. The brushstroke is less shiny, more velvety, on the curves of the body as if to suggest the texture of the skin and give the illusion of flesh. Although Ingres stayed true to David's classical teaching in his emphasis on line and drawing, he went beyond this framework and his innovative style opened the way to artists such as Degas and Picasso.

If you feel like watching more Ingres, here's another painting of my beloved French master. <3